Blood Moon
by wolfprincess18
Summary: The sequel to Against the Darkness, in which Princess Zelda, Lord Ganondorf, and Link take their search into the Underworld as Hyrule unravels with the absence of Nayru.


_As foretold from an ancient time, one day true love will battle the absence of law, jealousy, hatred, and an evil greater than ever before that lives in the bowels beneath Hyrule. As Wisdom inevitably contorts into a flame of destruction Power is helpless to stop it. What was once pure Courage is drawn into a shroud of darkness._

_Turmoil_

_Chaos_

_Death_

Zelda sat up and wiped the foul tasting blood off her face. The Dragonda were still there. Waiting. Ganondorf offered the princess a hand. She took it and stood up. She felt strangely rejuvenated, like an anonymous force had taken hold of her body and pumped adrenaline endlessly through it.

"What…what happened? The last thing I remember was confessing to you and unspeakable pain," Zelda asked.

"Nayru came down and sacrificed her life for yours and now you're alive again," Ganondorf growled focusing on the motionless Dragonda.

A Dragonda rushed forward claws ready at Ganondorf. Zelda leaped in front of it blocking it with her slender, smooth hand. The claw pierced her soft flesh and the wound instantly healed. A golden energy spread from the young princess's heart and through her hand and into the opposing insect. It screeched and fell to the ground dead. Ganondorf eyed Zelda with a new-found interest. What had happened to the girl in the few minutes that she had floated in the pitch-dark netherworld? Did the princess have some of the dead goddess's power?

The Dragonda army hissed and backed away as a black swarm. Something about Zelda disturbed them. They disappeared into mist that smelled of sulfur. Zelda stared down at her palm. It was perfectly smooth and undisturbed as if nothing had just gone right through it only seconds ago. She backed into Ganondorf wanting to escape this frightening new talent of hers. Ganondorf wrapped his arms around the small girl hoping to comfort her. He furrowed his brow. If Zelda had Nayru's power what had happened to all law in Hyrule? Zelda was no goddess. She was an intelligent mortal girl, but a mortal girl nonetheless.

The night was like daggers, slowly tearing away at Zelda's sanity. What had she done that afternoon to that one monster? What inside her frightened the Dragonda so much they fled from the battlefield? She buried her face in a plush, pink pillow. It smelled faintly of honey and foreign spices. She inhaled the sweet scent deeply and then let it go. The cold entered her mind like a nest of hornets, each one a question that of course she couldn't answer. Zelda sat up and looked out the window at the full moon. The moon was round and beautiful but instead of being a creamy, vanilla color it was scarlet. A blood moon. A bad omen. Of course blood moons were simply fairy tales and anyone sensible knew that it was against the laws of nature for the moon to change color. But there it was. The first blood moon in Hyrulean history. Zelda shivered, as her life was suddenly plunged into insanity.

She stood up and pushed open her door. Zelda tip-toed softly down the silent corridors of Gerudo Fortress to Ganondorf's bedchamber. Not surprisingly, he was still awake.

"The moon troubling you as well, Princess?" he asked.

Zelda nodded.

"Blood moons aren't supposed to be real," she said.

Ganondorf glared out at the crimson moon.

"I believe this is only the beginning. Things worse will happen than a red moon."

"Why?"

"When Hyrule was formed Nayru created all law. The laws of nature and the laws that keep you human, now that she is dead all that will simply disappear and Hyrule will slowly unravel until all that is left is revolting inhumane creatures who live in a chaotic wasteland," Ganondorf snarled.

"So, this…this is all my fault?" Zelda asked plaintively.

Ganondorf whirled around his expression one of pure, unadulterated rage. He grabbed Zelda's wrist.

"If you are even considering sacrificing yourself for that goddess, I will do whatever it takes to stop you," he growled.

Ganondorf's chest heaved with fury.

Zelda brought her hands up to her face and began to sob.

"What am I supposed to do then?" she wept.

Ganondorf's demeanor softened. He locked his arms around the young princess.

"Whatever it is, I will stand by your side. Always."

Ganondorf and Zelda were not the only ones staring at the moon. Link looked at the sphere of blood hanging in the sky. For some reason, he just knew that it had something to do with his missing fiance, Zelda.

"Link, you haven't slept since Zelda disappeared. Please try to go to bed!" Navi begged.

"Zelda's in danger! I know it! I can't sleep at times like this!" Link snapped.

"Well, itsthen why don't you get your sword and go look for her! She's probably in Gerudo Valley!" Navi said.

Link wondered why he hadn't thought of that before now. He grabbed his pointy hat and Master Sword and ran out the door. Navi fluttered after the clueless hero into Hyrule field. The moon watched them ominously from its high perch in the night sky.

"Link, you're going to run all the way to Gerudo Valley?" Navi asked.

"I have before!" Link exclaimed.

Navi groaned but followed Link on his trek across the great plain.

When Link and Navi arrived at the gate to enter Gerudo Valley no one was guarding it. It was strangely silent. Link pushed open the wrought iron gate. It made an eerie creaking noise but worked. If that wasn't disturbing enough, all the Gerudian guards were missing from the fortress. A single light was on it very high up.

"Link you're really going up there? This place is a ghost town!" Navi insisted.

"Shut up, Navi," Link snapped.

There were no guards inside the fortress either. When the hero and the fairy finally reached the room they noticed it was different from all the others. The double doors was large and made of oak with gold and iron designs across it. Link pulled hard at the door and finally it came free. If the hero thought the lack of guards outside was surprising, the sight that awaited him was astonishing. Zelda and Ganondorf froze in action. They were curled up on a velvety red sofa and in the middle of, yes, making out.

"Zelda, what the hell are you doing?!" Link yelled.

"So I can't have a little fun in my life?" Zelda retorted.

"We're engaged!"

"But I hate you!" Zelda screamed.

Ganondorf's muscular arms tightened around Zelda. Her temper was boiling over.

"Hey! Listen! I don't know if I'm the only one who noticed but we've got a goddessdamned blood moon! So stop fighting over the Princess and think about the freaky thing in the sky!" Navi screamed.

"Do you know anything about it?" Link asked tersely.

"Only the fact that Nayru sacrificed herself for Zelda and now law is disappearing," Ganondorf snarled.

"Nayru's dead?!" Link gasped.

"Guys, you do know there's an underworld right?" Zelda asked.

Link looked at Zelda in surprise.

"You actually go somewhere after you die?"

Zelda rolled her eyes.

"If it's the underworld we want then I think I know someone who can take us there," Ganondorf said.

In the vast, cold plain of the Haunted Wasteland, a singular ghost hovered above the tiny fort in the middle of the desert. The fort had once been a great and prosperous castle but when the greatest sandstorm struck the castle was drowned in sand and only the tallest tower above ground. No one survived. And everyone chose to go on to the Underworld. Except Brizno. He sat his lantern down on a stone spire of the fort. It may've been a mirage but the Poe spirit could've sworn he saw a party of three coming through the mist. One figure broad and looming, one small and willowy, one kind of average.

The three people emerged from the swirling sand.

"Lord Ganondorf, what is it you wish?" Brizno inquired.

"Entrance to the Underworld," Ganondorf said shortly.

Brizno surveyed the dark lord's companions. A slight fair-haired princess and a Hylian man with a look of pure jealousy on his face.

"Is this about the passing of Nayru? And that is virtually impossible, living souls cannot go into the Underworld," Brizno asked.

"Of course it is! Now get us to the goddessdamned Underworld or I will make sure you die for the second time," Ganondorf growled, struggling to keep his temper in check.

Zelda smiled. Another thing she and Ganondorf had in common, a bad temper that was hard to control.

Brizno nodded.

"I can take you to the entrance to the Underworld but that is as far as I can take you. I agreed never to set foot in that place when I died."

"Thank you," Zelda breathed.

"The entrance to the Underworld is in the Shadow Temple," Brizno explained.

The Shadow Temple. Monsters of the netherworld preyed on clueless, wandering civilians. It was a maze of cold breath, icy fire, and death itself.

"Ganondorf, you still haven't returned the people to their original state," Zelda remarked.

"Princess, we've had a lot on our minds since we won that war and we don't have any time," Ganondorf said spitefully.

Zelda stood there in silence for a minute, chiefly disgruntled.

"If you're so upset then why don't you use your special goddess powers and change them back?"Ganondorf asked sarcastically.

"Fine. Maybe I will."

Ganondorf turned around to face Zelda. She was staring at her hands, willing for something to happen, anything. Zelda sighed.

"This is a waste of time, we've gotta go."

Ganondorf nodded and took her hand in his own.

Link eyed the two lovers with jealousy as Brizno led them on and on. Why was Zelda falling for such a monstrous, evil man? They had nothing in common. Nothing! Zelda was pure and sweet, demure and beautiful. She was a perfect princess. Ganondorf was angry, dark, mysterious, malevolent. If he didn't do something Zelda would fall prey to Ganondorf's evil intentions. Link clenched and unclenched his fists.

"So even the purest of heroes can feel the darkest of emotions?" asked a teasing voice from the tempest sand.

Link spun around.

A dark shadow with two gleaming red eyes stepped out from the mist. The shadow resembled Link in every way.

"You want to make the Princess yours and dispose of the Dark Lord, am I correct?" asked Dark Link.

Link nodded curtly.

"I will help you. But you must prevent Nayru from being resurrected, if she is I will make sure your life becomes a living hell," hissed the shadow.

It was against everything Link had ever done but Ganondorf had to be stopped. No matter what it took or what personal sacrifices had to be made.

In the very early, early morning Brizno, Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf reached the entrance to the Shadow Temple. An eerie screech resonated from inside the cavern. Zelda clutched Ganondorf's arm in fear. Ganondorf smirked down at the girl, even when she had unmatchable power coursing through her veins the scream of a Re-Dead still frightened her to death.

"I won't leave you here but I can't take you much farther," Brizno said.

The foursome entered the grim, shadowy place that harbored many spirits of the dead.

"I remember this," Zelda said softly.

That's right. When Zelda had died she must've come through here. So the princess knew where they were going. It made his stomach wrench every time Ganondorf thought about the fact that he had let Zelda die, even for just a few minutes.

Brizno led them through a maze of corridors each one with macabre skulls painted in blood until they reached a large boat that floated on mist. Silvery, wispy mist.

" This is strange. The entrance to the Underworld has opened. The boat will lead you down into Hyrule's bowels." Brizno said "I hope you are able to resurrect the goddess,"

_I hope not, _thought Link.

The boat had a large iron reaper on the bow. It was clothed in moth-eaten red velvet. It's eyes hollow and staring looking for every fault, every bad thing you had ever done, ready to send you to endless, great labor. As the ominous golden bells in it's hands rung the three people stood in utter silence. At a point, the boat stopped. For a split second it hovered there and then plunged into the darkness of the Underworld. As Zelda fell through the cold she was reminded of what had happened just that afternoon. Then, she had been frightened but now she knew that this sharp, pitch-black drop was not infinite. But it seemed so. When the ground came rushing up towards them no one could tell, for it was too dark even to see your own hand.

The hard impact sent shots of pain through their bodies.

"Where the hell are we?" Ganondorf growled, standing up.

Several pairs of gleaming eyes blinked from the darkness.

"Zelda, what you know anything about this?" Ganondorf asked.

Zelda shook her head fervently.

"Take them to the queen," hissed one of the eyes.

Each of them felt dull head pain and collapsed to the ground, unconscious, except Ganondorf. It would take more than a blow to the head to knock him out.

"Princess, wake up!" Ganondorf said urgently.

Zelda rubbed her eyes and sat up. Ganondorf stared at the blonde princess through a crack in the mortar.

"What… what happened?" Zelda moaned.

"'The queen' those creatures spoke of is the dead queen of the Dragonda."

"The dead queen?"

The dead queen. Dead queen. Dead. Queen.

"Mom," Zelda breathed.

This was the underworld after all. Her mother had to be there! She had to be. Two Skullfos approached Ganondorf's cell.

"All right Gerudo, let's go," one said.

"Ganondorf!" Zelda screamed.

"I'll be okay, I promise," he mouthed.

Zelda sank to the cold, filthy floor. She had come all this way in a simple silk and chiffon nightdress. Now she was in a goddess-forsaken prison where she would never, ever find Nayru and most likely never, ever see Ganondorf again. Her one, true love. How ironic. The pure Princess of Hyrule and the Great King of Evil in love. Love.

"Zelda, is that you?" said a wan, female voice.

A slender, figure looked at Zelda. Crystalline blue eyes shone in the darkness. The figure was slightly transparent, so she must be dead.

"Mother? Mother is that you?" Zelda begged.

"Zelda," the dead queen breathed.

"Don't look at me! I'm a shame to the Hylia family!" Zelda sobbed.

"My child, what have you done to lead you to think that?" Zelda's mother asked.

"I…I don't want to marry some random suitor! I want to find true love and…and I think I found it! Except, my true love is Lord Ganondorf Dragmire the Great King of Evil!" Zelda exclaimed.

Zelda's mother remained silent.

"Is this man your heart's one, true desire?"

"Yes! I love him with all my heart!" Zelda said.

"Then how could I ever be ashamed of you?"

Her mother's wish had always been for Zelda to follow her heart. And Zelda's heart was now leading her to Ganondorf.

"What do you want monster?" Ganondorf spat.

An opaque Dragonda figure stood before him on a wrought iron throne.

"Ganondorf Dragmire, you killed over half my precious army and are in love with that disgusting Hylian bitch,"

"Don't you dare call Zelda a bitch!" Ganondorf seethed. No one was to insult Zelda. His fists clenched and unclenched with rage.

The Dragonda queen laughed.

"Too bad come sunset that girl will be dead,"

"Dead?!"

No. He wouldn't let Zelda die again. Ganondorf couldn't bear thinking about Zelda's body cold and motionless.

The Skullfos took him away again.

"Zelda!" Ganondorf hissed. "We've got to get out of here!"

Zelda extended her hand through the small crack. Her hand began to glow gold and the wall separating the lovers exploded into powdered gold.

Ganondorf grabbed Zelda and pulled her close. Ganondorf kissed her with the desperation of a mad-man. Zelda wrapped her arms around his neck and let Ganondorf's affection envelop her completely. His hands closed around Zelda's hips. Her eyes fluttered shut and she knew that as long as Ganondorf was there everything would be all right. Zelda ran her hand through his fiery red hair. She pulled away only when she absolutely needed to breathe. Ganondorf smiled and caressed her cheek. Nothing, in all of Hyrule would ever rip him away from his princess.

Link eyed the couple with great contempt. His hands shook in fury. Zelda was supposed to be his and not to that evil, plotting Gerudo!

"Jealousy, anger, hatred," Dark Link said with amusement in his voice, "You become more and more like me with every passing minute,"

Link turned to his shadowy alter-ego.

"Zelda will die tonight. Ganondorf will try to stop you but you shouldn't have to worry about him, the Dragonda will take care of him. Wait high above the scaffold and use your hookshot to latch onto the back of her dress, but don't let yourself be pulled down, bring her up. Then you can take her away," Dark Link said.

Link nodded. "Then we kill Nayru for good, right?"

"No. We relieve Zelda of the goddess's powers because right now Nayru lives on inside of Zelda. If we take Nayru out of Zelda the goddess will perish. It may kill the princess in the process. Are you willing to take that risk?" Dark Link asked.

Link looked over at Zelda who was locked in the embrace of Ganondorf. He would do anything to tear Zelda away from him.

"I'll do it,"

Dark Link smirked. "I'll help you with the princess but besides that you're on your own hero,"

Hero. That was what Link once was. A hero. Not a lying, conniving man whose one desire in life was a simple girl. Link shook the guilt off. He had to do this. But what if Zelda died? There would be no goddess to sacrifice her life for the princess this time.

A Dragonda insect paced the hall. Almost immediately he noticed that the wall between the Princess's and the Dark Lord's cells had combusted and turned to golden dust. The Dragonda unlocked Zelda's cell and pulled her out.

"Execution time," it said emotionlessly.

Execution! Adrenaline was alerted and electrified all of the fair-haired princess's muscles. She attempted to pull away, not noticing her hand was shining bright. The goddess energy flowed into the Dragonda and electrocuted it. The foul insect let out an unearthly shriek and fell to the ground, twitching. For a split second Zelda stared down at the deceased bug. It was the one who had killed her. Vengeance tasted so sweet.

"Come on! Let's escape and find Nayru before more of them come!" Zelda exclaimed.

Ganondorf nodded and joined Zelda outside the cell.

"Let's go fairy boy," Ganondorf sneered.

Link muttered something under his breath. Zelda melted the iron bars and the party of three dashed out of the prison layer. Link's eyes widened. He had to get Zelda to the scaffold. Otherwise, his master plan would be a total waste. Ganondorf would just murder him if he tried to use brute force against Zelda. So he had to be clever.

"Link! Link watch out!" Zelda screamed.

Link looked up to see a gnarly, dead hand reaching through the ceiling to grab him. Link was sucked through the cement and found himself laying in front of a gaunt, dark-haired Hylian woman. She was slightly transparent.

"Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I've been zapped of all my powers," the woman said. "Hello Link, I've been waiting for you,"

_The Story of Nayru_

_ "A long, long time ago when no one knew of such a thing as Hyrule there was an island that was beautiful and prosperous. Nobody ever starved for the island's resources were shared equally. I lived there with my two sisters, Din and Farore. Din was compassionate and headstrong Farore was brave and competitive. I simply sat alone in a corner of our beach house, usually with a very old book. I was known as the smartest girl all across the island. But I was not wise. One day Din and Farore disappeared into the shadowy forest near our home._

_ I was told to save them for I had the most knowledge of the animals and plants that dwelled in the forest. Foolishly, I went into the forest with only a little food and water. I found no sign of my sisters and after a week, I was out of provisions. Five days later, when I was on the verge of death, I saw my sisters in an iron cage. I ran to free them but a shadowy figure stood in my path. It was one of the dark folk. Half-human half-monster. The figure promised that if I served it and the rest of the dark folk, it would let my sisters go and never bother them or my family again. I should've stood my ground. I agreed to the shadow's proposal. _

_ In just a few short months, I was the most feared person on the island. I was the Siren. I seduced men with my body and voice, once I got them alone I would slit their throats and steal their wallets. I would then pillage their houses for any goods to be had. The dark folk took over the island and the shadow I met on that day in the woods was their leader. Soon, I got bored of being under someone's rule. I killed our leader in it's sleep. I was crowned leader. Everyone knew it was me who had assassinated our king. But that was the way of the dark folk. No dark folk got the better of me, though. I never slept. My sisters, pained by ill transformation slipped poison into my wine one day several years after my rise to power. One sip of the wine brought all the pain of everyone I had ever murdered on my body in one blow, killing me._

_ When I opened my eyes again the four spirits of water, earth, fire, and air stood before me. I was the island's greatest sinner. The spirits told me that since I was such a fool in life I was to be the Goddess of Wisdom in death. I answered the spirits by saying I could not rule alone. They plucked my two sisters from life to join me. Din was to be the Goddess of Power and Farore the Goddess of Courage. We were to find a chaotic wasteland and turn it into a prosperous, un-plighted world. And we were to never __ever__ feel human emotions again. _

_ I broke that law when I saw Zelda die. I felt one of the strongest human emotions: pity. Pity for the dead,young maiden, pity for her grieving lover. My decision to save Zelda was not a wise one. I should've let her die. But sometimes the fool is right. Zelda must live. She is the purest of us all. Just a few days ago, the princess knew of wisdom but did not live it. She lived power. Now Zelda is wise and Zelda is brave. But she is not to be the holder of the True Force. My powers must leave Zelda's body for me to rejoin my sisters in the sky. Link, this story wasn't for nothing. I have told you what happens when you make the wrong choice. Is the path of action you're about to take the right one?"_

Link looked at the physical form of Nayru in awe. He had never known that one of the golden goddesses was evil in her life. Link did not even know that the goddesses had a life before being goddesses.

"Thank you, great and powerful Nayru, I now know what to do," Link said gratefully.

The hand reappeared and brought him back to the ground level. Zelda and Ganondorf were no longer there.

"No matter what that goddess told you, you ARE going to follow through with our plan," said a cold, spiteful voice

"This way! I think I sense Nayru!" Zelda called out.

The Hylian Princess and the Gerudo King raced up the stairs and saw an iron door. It had no knob. Ganondorf summoned a black fire that engulfed the door melting it down. Nayru sat there in her chains.

"Princess Zelda, Lord Ganondorf," Nayru said acknowledging them.

"Nayru, I must give your powers back!" Zelda insisted.

"Not my powers, Zelda, my soul," said the goddess.

"How?!" Zelda cried.

The maiden touched her heart and extended her hand to the goddess. Nothing happened. For a minute everything was silent and still. Then debris and rubble began to rain down on the three people. It was the Dragonda queen.

"Zelda Hylia, Ganondorf Dragmire, Nayru," she hissed.

The queen swung a great claw at Ganondorf which he blocked deftly with an iron sword. The Dragonda hissed in contempt. She turned her attention to the defenseless, slight maiden. Zelda leapt out of the insect's way just in time the claw cutting through the chiffon of her nightdress and leaving her back bloody. Nayru sat there calmly watching the massive bug battle the Hyruleans. Ganondorf held Zelda close not wanting to let another Dragonda claim her. The insect queen stared at them for a long minute before turning to face Nayru. She raised a great pincer high up in the air.

"NO!" Zelda screamed.

The young girl burst free of Ganondorf's arms, dashed in front of Nayru just in time to feel the pincer cutting through her stomach. Zelda glowed white and disappeared into thin air. The gaunt, dark-haired girl in chains morphed into the golden beauty she once was. The sonic heat spread through the Underworld warming every good heart. The Dragonda queen screeched and fell to the ground, overpowered by the goddess's purity.

"Now the world will return to normal," Nayru said.

"Normal? Wait does that mean…" said a feminine voice.

Ganondorf whirled around to see a winded Zelda standing in the doorway. He rushed to her side and hugged her.

"We've got to get out of here! The door to the Underworld is going to close!" Zelda cried.

The lovers ran out of the room and down a spiral staircase.

"Wait, where the hell is Link?" Ganondorf asked as they sprinted.

Zelda's eyes widened.

"Zel-" came a muffled cut-off voice.

Dark Link had a sword to Link's throat. Zelda ran for the clueless Hylian. She kicked out at Dark Link and grabbed Link.

"C'mon let's go!" she yelled.

The party of three ran towards the fading world with Dark Link hot on their heels. Zelda could swear that she could feel Dark Link's breath on her neck. The small opening revealing the Shadow Temple grew smaller with each passing second. Ganondorf, who was in the lead leapt through the door first. Then came Link.

"Zelda c'mon!" Ganondorf called out harshly.

"Ganondorf help!" Zelda screamed.

Dark Link was holding her down and all that was escaping out into the world was her slender, manicured hand. Ganondorf grabbed her hand and pulled with all his strength, freeing the princess. Dark Link let out an unearthly shriek. The door closed.

"Thank you," Zelda breathed.

Ganondorf simply held her close thanking the goddesses that his princess was still alive.

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER…

Zelda looked into the mirror with a look that only a bride who's wedding is minutes away can wear. The Hylian Princess's dress the color of snow, the bust adorned with diamonds, a great silk train brushing the ground. Zelda's icy eyes shone like the sun was reflecting off them.

"No matter what gets in our way, we will always find a way around it," Zelda said.

She turned heel and left her room.

A dark shadow appeared in the mirror where there shouldn't be one. This shadow had glimmering red eyes that bore a thirst for vengeance.

"I will enjoy watching you be obliterated, Princess Zelda," said the shadow.

It vanished.

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
